a. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to an apparatus, system, and method for charging batteries. More particularly, this disclosure relates to an apparatus, system, and method for charging batteries used, for example, with electric vehicles.
b. Background Art
As battery-powered electric vehicles are becoming more ubiquitous, the charging or recharging of the batteries of these vehicles can create a strain on the power grid to which the electric vehicles are coupled and that is used to provide the charging current to charge/recharge the batteries of the vehicles. More particularly, the recharging of an electric vehicle requires a relatively large amount of electricity, and therefore, it consequently results in a relatively large energy drain. This is particularly acute at the times when many electric vehicles have to be recharged at the same time, such as, for example, in the evening when most people are at their homes and have “plugged-in” their vehicles for recharging. This is problematic because the power grid used to charge the batteries of the electric vehicles is also used to supply power to many other applications, such as, for example, homes, schools, restaurants, stores, hospitals, street lights, and the like. As more demand is put on the power grid, the less optimal power delivery becomes.
One way in which this issue has been addressed is to provide communication between the power grid and the chargers connected thereto, and coordinating or controlling the operation of the individual chargers by the power grid or a central controller thereof. Accordingly, this arrangement generally includes a central hub that is coupled to the power grid and corresponding chargers. The chargers are configured to communicate to the power grid, and the power grid to the chargers, such that the power grid or the central hub thereof can exert control over when and to which chargers charging current is supplied. In principal, such an arrangement allows for a coordinated, central means by which both the amount of electricity going to the chargers from the power grid and the timing of the provision of charging current may vary depending on the needs of the power grid. The purpose of this type of arrangement is that by allowing the power grid to coordinate and control the charging of the batteries, the power grid will avoid being overloaded and better optimize power delivery by controlling when and how much power to deliver to each battery connected to the grid.
This arrangement is not without its disadvantages, however For example, the arrangement is not currently supported by the infrastructure, and updating of the infrastructure may be prohibitively expensive and take an exorbitant amount of time to implement.
Accordingly, the inventors herein have recognized a need for an apparatus, system, and method for charging batteries that will minimize and/or eliminate one or more of the deficiencies in conventional systems.